Machine for preparing newsprint paper for use as pencil sheaths



K. MILLER May 8, 1945.

3 Sheets$heet 1 Original Filed Jan. 16, 1942 7 1H.) \v/hqlylflll w o w z 3 0 5f 8 #3 ,0 a 4 00 I q flf a V 4 r4 0 i r w w d a 3 2W E 7 4v 5 z.

May 8, 1945.

MILLER MACHINE FOR PREPARING N EWSPRINT PAPER FOR USE AS PENCIL SHEATHS Original Filed Jan. 16, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIA/I/II ATTORNEY y 1945- l K. MILLER I 2,375,676

MACHINE FOR PREPARING NEWSPRINT PAPER FOR USE AS PENCIL SHEATHS Original Filed Jan. 1e,\. 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

llllll 1]] l OQW MPTORNEY Patented May 8, 1945 MACHINE FOR PREPARING NEWSPRINT PAPER FOR USE As PENCIL SHEATHS Kay Miller, New Brunswick, N. J., assignor to Joseph Dixon Crucible Company, Jersey City, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Original application January 16, 1942, SerialNo. 426,945. Divided and this application Novem ber 14, 1942, Serial No. 465,522

4 Claims. (01. 92-68) This invention relates to a machine for preparing newsprint paper for use as pencil sheaths and this application is a division of my application Serial No. 426,945, filed January 16, 1942.

More specifically stated, theinvention relates to a machine for heattreatingnewsprlnt paper to render it suitable for use as pencil sheaths in coil form. The heat treated paper produced by the machine of the present invention is primarily intended for use as a substitute for the usual wooden pencil sheath. The heattreated paper is formed, into a pencil sheath by being wrapped aroundthe stick of marking material in tight successive convolutions which are caused to adhere together by meansof a suitable adhesive applied between the convolutions of the coil. The paper to be treated is unaged, that is, fresh, un-

printed newsprint, the paper of which commercial newpapers is composed. A pencil sheath composed of untreated commercial newsprint paper cannot be cut by a rotary pencil sharpener or by a knife blade as easily as pencil wood. In fact, it is only with difficulty that a coil of untreated newsprint paper can be cut with a sharp blade, and the rotary cutter of the commercial pencil sharpener leaves fibers, projecting from the cut surface. Accordingly it is necessary to treat the newsprint-paper in such manner that when it is rolled into a pencilsheatheit canbe 1 composed only of cellulose and lignin detericrates too rapidly, about 10%,sulphide pulp is added toit to make, it more stable. But even withthe addition of sulphide pulp it is the com mon observation that ordinary newsprintpaper ages relatively quickly, that is to say, becomes brown and brittle. I have found thatby coiling newsprint paper which has become brown and brittlized by age into a pencilsheath it canbe cut as readily with a knife blade or a rotary cutter as can the usual wood pencil sheath. But

remove the traces of the acid or alkali, and as are'sult of these successive wettings the paper has a tendency to wrinkle, requiring ironing of the paper and drying it.

, I have discoveredthati newsprint paper can be quickly and expeditiously artificially aged by bringing it to a proper degree of charred condition or brittleness by the application of heat to the paper, thereby avoiding the inconveniences incident to brittlizing the paper by means of an 7 acid or alkali bath. Moreover, the heat treatment is more economical than theacid or alkali bath treatment and results in a superiorproduct; The heat treatment of'the paper can be efiected by passing a strip of the paper into contactwith heated metal surfaces. The application of heat to the paper must be carefully controlled in order that the degree of charring obtained will cause the cutting qualities of the charred paper to approximate the cutting qualities of the so-called cedar wood, usually used for wooden pencil sheaths. At the same time, the charring or brittlizing must not be carried to such extent as seriously to impair the tensile strength of the paper. l

The method of my invention is to bringeach surface of a travelling strip of unaged, unprinted newsprint paper into contact with a heated metal element, the preferable rate of travel of the strip of paper being about twenty feet perrminute in contact with a smooth heating element of about two feet long heated to about 350" c. Therate it takes months to age newsprint paper to the proper degree of brittleness to render it suitable for use as pencil sheaths in coil form. Thenewsprint paper must therefore be subjected to an artificial aging.

The newsprint paper may be quickly and artificially aged to sufiicient brittleness by subjecting the paper to a bath containing an acid or 'an alkali, but this method requires a furt her bathto of travel of the strip of paper. may be increased, but the temperature of the heating element must be proportionately increased, and this can be done up to a point somewhat below that at which the paper will ignite. i

The novel machine of the invention for treating newsprint paper to render it suitable .for use as pencil sheaths in coil form comprises two metallic heating elements, means for movingthe heating elements into and out of operative position, means for, heating the heating elements,

means for controlling the degree of heat to which 7 the elements are heated, and means for moving or disk of the-supporting means for the roll of of its high efficiency as a conductor, the heating preferred form of machine in which one phase of the method of the invention may be practiced,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine for heat treating a continuous strip of newsprint paper, showing theflheating elements or plates disengaged from the strip of paper;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the heating elements orplates in engagement with the strip of paper, some of the parts being shown in section;

Fig. 3' is a front end elevation and section of the machine taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the roll of treated paper and its supporting members, taken on the line l4 of Fig. 1; l5

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section of the detent for holding the strip of paper away from the upper heating element, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2 'but showing in top plan view the roll of untreated paper;

Fig. '7 is a section through the idler roll at the I top of the machine, taken on the line 'I--'I of Fig.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal section through the'detent for holding the lower heating element away from, the paper, taken on the line 88 of Fig.2;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section of the right hand end of the roll of treated paper, shown in the act of being removed from its supporting means; and

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the slotted washer treated paper.

The paper treating machine as illustrated comprises two arc-shaped heating elements or plates, an' upper stationary plate I2 and a lower movable plate I 3. The heating plates are somewhat wider than the strip of paper to be treated which is a little wider than the usual lead pencil is long. In length each plate is about 12 inches. Because elements are preferably composed of copper. The stationary-plate I2 is supported by the brackets I4 from the front side of an upright or standard I5 rising from the rear edge of an elongated boxlikebas'e I6. The movable plate I3 is secured by the brackets I8 on the lower end of an arm I9 pivoted at Zll on the front side of the upright I5.

Each heating element or plate I2 and I3 is backed by ablock of asbestos 2I in which are embedded resistant coils 22 connected by wires 24 with a relay 25. The temperature of the upper heating plate I2 (and therefore of the lower heating plate I3) is controlled by means of a thermostat 23-located at the lower end of the upper heating element I 2 and supported by a pocket-shaped piece of copper 26 extending from the rear side of the lower end of the plate I2. The thermostat 231s connected by a tube 28 with a control 29 throughwhich the temperature of the plates, I2 and I3 is regulated, the control 29 being connected with the relay 25. All these heat controlling parts are of conventional construction and mode of operation.

The roll 30 of fresh or unaged, unprinted newsprint paper is provided at its center with a shaft 3|, the outer projecting ends of which are supported on the upper ends of uprights 32 risin from the right hand end of the base it, viewing Figs. 1 and 2. The free end 33 of the roll of paper passes upwardly to an idler pulley 34'which turns 75 which the treated paper is rolled up. The roll 35 is secured to the shaft 39, the outer ends of which turn in the journal boxes ll secured to the upper sideof the box-like base I6 of the machine. The shaft 42 to which the roll 36 is secured is similarl journaled in a front box'43, I

the rear journal box not being indicated.

On the forward ends of each shaft 39 and 42 is fixed a worm gear 45 which meshes with a worm 46 secured to a shaft 41 which extends throughout the length of the front side of the base It and is connected at its right hand end, facing Fig. 1, with a constant speed motor 48, so that the rolls 35 and Mare, driven at a constant rate of speed.

' The core 31 on which is wound the coil of treated paper 48 (see Fig. 4), is mounted on a shaft 49, by an arrangement to be described later, which is supported at its'forward endon an upright 50 rising from the base I6 and at its rear end by means of a disk 52 loosely mounted on the shaft 89. "The periphery of the disk 52 bears upon the peripheries of a disk 53 secured to the rear end of'the shaft 39 and a disk 54 fixed on the rear end of the shaft t2. It will be'noted that the shaft so which supports the core of the coil of treated paper is located half way between the rolls 35 and 35 and that consequently, as the treated part 55 of the strip of paper passes over the roll S6 it embraces substantially one half of it, thereby assuring that there is no slippage between thestrip of treated paper andthe periphery of the roll 36 as the strip of treated paper 55 passes from the roll 36 to the periphery of the coil being built up on the core 31. This arrangement also assures that there is a steady unslipping pull on the part 55 of the strip of paper as it travels between the heating elements and ported travel faster than the rolls 35 and 35, and a the disk 52 has the same peripherel speed, the tendency is for the core 3] to have the samespeed. through the friction plate 51. The result of this arrangement is that the treated paper is wrapped tightly onto the coil 48 on the core 31, the adjust- -ment of the spring 58 assuring the proper slippage as the coil .48 increases in size.

I When a, fresh roll 30 of untreated paper is placed in position on the uprights 32 and the free end thereof is brought down between the heating elements I2 and I3 they are spaced apart as shown in Fig. 1, and when the free endof the paper is undergoing heat treatment the heating elements are in the position'shown in Fig. In order'that the free endv 33 of the-roll of untreated paper may be delivered to the heating elements with even tension a flexible brake 6i hzwingafweight 6| at its-lower end rests upon the roll 39. The brake 6B is secured at its other end to the hook 62 which passes disengageably over a stud 59 projectingforwardly from the uprightl5;.. e a v r The lower, movable heating plate I3 is held in its inoperative position, the position shown in in Fig. 2, the hump 63 is received ina recess 65 in the projection 64. To accommodate the lateral movements of the free end of the detent 62 the upright I is slotted at 66. i

The upper heating plate I 2 being stationary, :it is necessary to hold the free end ofthe fresh roll of untreated paper away from its surface.

when the paper is being adjusted for treatment, and accordingly there isprovided apin 68 carried by the free end of an arm 69 pivotedon the.

, .movements of the free end of thedetent I2 are accommodated by the recess l3' in the upright.

When the machine is in operation therein 68 is received in the arcuate slot M in the upper end of the upright.

3 forthe' intended purpose by heating the plates I21 and I3 to about 350 C. A substantially greater heat with the given rate of travel results in seriously affecting the tensile strength of the paperso thatit cannot be properly wound around thestick of markinginaterial without tearing. By substantially lowering the temperature of the heating elements'the paper is not; sufiiciently charredor brittlized toresult in easy and clean cutting by a knife blade or rotary cutter.

. When the roll-of untreated paper isexhausted and has been. built up on thecore lil es a rollof treated paper, itis'then removedfrom When the complete supply .of untreated newsprint paperin the roll at is exhausted and the last end of it has passed by theheating plates I2 and I3 and been wound upon the roll of treated paper 48, the operator shuts down the motor, and then before he leads the free end of a fresh roll of untreated paper over the roll 34 31, the motor is started and simultaneously there with the pin 168 is lowered into the slot "I4 while the arm I9 is pushed toward the upright I5, with the. result that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, with one surface of the strip of paper fully engaging the arcuate upper heating plate I2 and the other surface of the strip of paper fully engaging the arcuate heating plate I3. The machine now continues to run until the roll of untreated paper passes as a strip past and is properly charred or brittlized for the intended purpose by the heating plates I2 and I3, and is wound into the roll 48 of treated paper ready for immediate use. i

fresh roll of paper 30 is placed on the standards In aging artificially or brittlizing the newsprint paper to put it into such condition that when it i is tightly coiled it can serve as a'pencil sheath with cutting qualities comparable to those of the usual wood sheath, the degree of brittlizing depends on two factors, the degree of heat employed and the length of time the paper is exposed to the heat. Although the paper can be fed through the machine at controlled speeds, I have found it more satisfactory to feed the paper between and in contact with the heating elements at a fixed rate of speed, say about'twenty feet per minute, and to vary the degree of heat to which the paper is subjected. This is done through the control 29 governed by the thermostat 23. By maintaining a constant rate of travel of twenty feet per minute, and with each heating element.

the shaft 49 so that a fresh core 31 may take the place of the one on which the roll of treated paper has just been wound, The means for sup porting the core 31 so that the roll of treated paper may be readily removed from the machine comprises a roller bearing 75 loosely: supported in the upper end of the upright-.50 and in which the reduced forward end of the shaft Mis journaled. Each end of the core 3l is internally beveled, and on the rear end of the shaft 49 is fixed a disk '16 correspondingly beveled. On the forward end of vtheshaftS is a corresponding disk or washer I? held against the forward end of the core 31 by means of a nut 18. The washer 'I'I shown in detail in Fig. 10 is provided with a slot 19. When it is time to remove the rollof treated paper 48 from the machine, the motor is stopped and the nut 153 is loosened so that the washer 'I'l can be slid forward and removed from the shaft 49. Then by simply lifting the forward end of the shaft 49, the rear end thereof pivoting by means of the disk 52 on the disks 53 and 55, the roll of. treated paper may be slid axially off the shaft-[49, as partially indicated in Fig. 9. Thereupon afresh core 37 'willbe slippedover the shaft 49, the slotted washer 'll replaced, the ball bearing 75 dropped into itsseat in the upper end of the standard 50 and the nut 18 tightened up against the forwardend of the washer ll.

Upon completion of the treating of the roll of paper 30 the lower movable heating plate I3 is swung outwardly from the standard I5 andv the pin 68 moved upwardly the parts now being in the condition shown. in Fig. 1, so that when a 32 and the free end of the strip of paper passed over the idler pulley 34, then down to the roll 35 the paper will not contact with the hot plates I2 and I3. The free end of the new roll of paper having beenpassed under the roll 35 and fastened to the core 31 and the motor started, the pin 68 is pushed down into the slot 14 and the arm I9 moved toward the upright I5 so as to bring these parts into the relation with the strip of paper shown in Fig. 2, whereupon the process continues automatically until the whole of the new roll of untreated paper has been treated in the deabove as to the degree of heat to which fresh newsprint paper is subjected and the length of time the paper is under the heat treatment although substantially correct, being gathered from various readings of commercial instruments, they are empirical, and can be varied in considerable degree without departing from the spirit of the invention. The vital thing is that the fresh unprinted newsprint paper must be brittlized to such extent by artificial aging, that is, by subjecting the paper to the requisite degree of heat .for the proper length of time, that when tightly coiled into a pencil sheath it can be cut by a sharp blade slantingly across the convolutions of the coil as readily and cleanly as can the usual cedar wood now employed for pencil sheaths. The artificialagin or brittlizing can be accomplished bysubjecting the paper to relatively low degrees of heat for relatively long periods of time, or preferably to relatively high degrees of heat for relatively short periods of time.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is: 1. A machine for treating a strip of newsprint paper to render it suitable for pencil sheaths in coil form comprising two smooth, arc-shaped heating elements, one located above the other in staggered relation therewith, an upright to which the upper heating element is secured, an arm pivoted on the upright for supporting the lower heating element, means for passing a strip of paper between the heating elements, means whereby the strip of paper may be held away from or permitted to' move in contact with the upper heating element, means for moving the lower heating element away from and into contact with the strip of paper, and means for heating the heating elements. v

2. A machine for treating newsprint paper to render it suitable for use as pencil sheaths in coil form comprising two smooth metallic heating elements, means for moving one of said elements toward and from the other element, means for guiding a strip'of paper between the heating elements when they are disposed toward each-other in close relation with one surface of the paper in contact with one heating elementand with the other surface of the paper, in contact with the other heating element, and means for holding the paper strip out of contact with said elements when they are in separatedor spaced relation to each other. e

3. A machine for treating newsprint paper to render it suitable for use as pencil sheaths incoil form comprising two smooth, arc-shaped metallic heating elements, one located above the other and in staggered relation so that the upper heating element will engage with one surface of a strip of paper and the lower heating element will engage with the other surface of the strip of paper, means for moving one of said elements toward and from the other element, means for guiding a strip of paper between the heating elements when they are disposed toward each other in close relation with one surface of the paper in contact with one heating element and with the other surface of the paper in contact with the other heating element, and means for holding the paper strip out of contact with said elements when they are in separated or spaced relation to each other.

4. A machine for treating a strip of newsprint paper to render it suitable for use as pencil sheaths in coil form comprising two smooth heating elements, means for holding the heating elements spaced apart sothat a strip of paper may be caused to travel past them without contacting with them, means for holding and guiding the strip out of contact with said elements when said elements are spaced apart, said element holding means being arranged to cause the heating elements to move toward each other to contact with KAY MILLER. 

